Making Plans for the Weekend | B

Hello, wonderful students! Welcome back to our ESL lesson. Today, we’re going to continue our journey into the world of making plans for the weekend. In Part B, we’ll dive a little deeper, learning more sophisticated ways to ask about plans, suggest activities, and respond politely when you can or cannot join. By the end of this lesson, you’ll feel confident discussing your weekend activities with friends, classmates, or colleagues!

Review: Basic Ways to Talk About Plans

Before we learn new phrases, let’s quickly remember the two main ways we discussed for talking about future plans:

  • Be going to + base verb: This is for plans you have already decided on.
    • Example: “I am going to visit my grandparents on Saturday.”
  • Will + base verb: This is often for spontaneous decisions or promises.
    • Example: “Hmm, I think I will stay home and read a book.”

Today, we’ll add even more useful expressions to your vocabulary!

Key Vocabulary for Weekend Plans

Here are some essential words and phrases you can use when talking about weekend plans. Listen and repeat after your teacher, or practice saying them out loud!

  • What are you up to this weekend? (A casual way to ask “What are your plans?”)
  • Are you free on Saturday? (Asking about availability)
  • I was thinking of… (A polite way to suggest an activity)
  • How about…? (Another common way to suggest. Often followed by a noun or verb-ing.)
  • Let’s… (A direct suggestion to do something together)
  • Sounds good! / That’s a great idea! (Positive responses, accepting a suggestion)
  • I’m afraid I can’t. / I’d love to, but… (Polite ways to decline an invitation)
  • Maybe another time. (Suggesting to do it later)
  • Catch a movie (Go to the cinema)
  • Go hiking (Walk in nature, often mountains or trails)
  • Have a picnic (Eat a meal outdoors, often in a park)
  • Visit a museum / an art gallery (Go to a place that displays art or historical items)
  • Relax at home (Spend time quietly at home)
  • Hang out with friends (Spend informal time with friends)
  • Reschedule (Change the time or date of a plan)
  • Confirm (Make sure the plan is definite)

Grammar Focus: Expressing Future Plans and Suggestions

1. Present Continuous for Future Plans

Did you know we can also use the present continuous tense (be + verb-ing) to talk about future plans? Yes! We use it when we have a definite plan, often with a specific time or date, and it feels very much like an arrangement. This is especially common when talking about social plans.

  • Example: “I ‘m meeting Sarah for coffee on Sunday morning.” (It’s a definite arrangement, not just a vague idea.)
  • Example: “We ‘re going to a concert on Friday night.” (Tickets are bought, plans are set.)

This is often used interchangeably with “be going to” for fixed plans, but “present continuous” can sometimes imply even more certainty or a formal arrangement.

2. Phrases for Suggesting Activities

When you want to propose an activity, these phrases are very useful:

  • How about + noun / verb-ing?
    • Example: “How about a movie?”
    • Example: “How about going for a bike ride?”
  • Why don’t we + base verb?
    • Example: “Why don’t we visit the new art exhibition?”
  • Shall we + base verb? (Slightly more formal or classic, good for suggestions)
    • Example: “Shall we grab some lunch together?”

3. Phrases for Accepting and Declining Politely

It’s important to be polite when responding to invitations.

  • Accepting:
    • “That sounds great!”
    • “I’d love to!“
    • “Perfect! What time?”
  • Declining:
    • “I’m afraid I can’t. I already have plans.”
    • “I’d love to, but I’m busy that day.”
    • “Maybe another time. I’m not free this weekend.”

For more practice with future tenses and how they are used in everyday conversations, check out this great resource: Future Tenses Practice.

Dialogue: Making, Changing, and Confirming Plans

Let’s read a conversation between two friends, Anna and Ben, who are trying to make plans for the weekend. Notice how they use the phrases we just learned!

Anna: Hey Ben, what are you up to this weekend? Are you free on Saturday afternoon?

Ben: Hi Anna! I’m planning to go hiking on Saturday morning. I’m afraid I won’t be free in the afternoon. Why do you ask?

Anna: Oh, no problem! I was thinking of catching a movie, maybe the new action film. How about Sunday instead?

Ben: Hmm, Sunday. Let me check my calendar… Yes! Sunday sounds great! I’m free. What time were you thinking?

Anna: Let’s say around 3 PM. Does that work for you?

Ben: 3 PM on Sunday. Perfect! I’ll meet you at the cinema. Should we grab a coffee beforehand?

Anna: Sounds good! Let’s meet at the cafe next to the cinema at 2:30 PM. Then we can walk over together.

Ben: Great! So, 2:30 PM at the cafe on Sunday. Confirmed!

Anna: See you then!

Practice Activities

Activity 1: Fill in the Blanks

Read the conversation below and fill in the missing words using vocabulary from this lesson. Choose the best word or phrase for each blank.

Sarah: Hi Mark, (1) __________ are you up to this weekend?

Mark: Not much yet! (2) __________ you free on Friday evening?

Sarah: I’m not, actually. (3) __________ to visit my family. (4) __________ about Saturday?

Mark: Saturday (5) __________. What did you have in mind?

Sarah: (6) __________ of having a picnic in the park if the weather is good.

Mark: That’s a great (7) __________. (8) __________ do it!

Sarah: Excellent! Let’s (9) __________ at 1 PM near the big oak tree.

Mark: (10) __________! See you then.

To learn more about common English idioms and phrases that might come up in weekend plans, visit this helpful page: English Idioms and Phrases.

Activity 2: Respond to the Situation

Read each situation and write a suitable, polite response. Try to use phrases from this lesson.

  1. Your friend asks, “Are you free on Saturday morning?” You are busy because you’re playing tennis.

    Your response:

  2. Your friend suggests, “How about going to the beach on Sunday?” You really like the idea!

    Your response:

  3. You want to suggest visiting a new art museum on Saturday afternoon with a friend.

    Your suggestion:

  4. A friend invites you to a party, but you are very tired and prefer to relax at home. Decline politely.

    Your response:

  5. You made plans with a friend for Friday, but you now need to reschedule because of an important appointment.

    Your message:

Activity 3: Role Play

Work with a partner. Imagine you are making plans for next weekend. One person suggests an activity, and the other either accepts, declines, or suggests an alternative. Try to use phrases from this lesson in your conversation. Switch roles and try different scenarios!

  • Scenario A: One person wants to go cycling, the other wants to watch a sports game.
  • Scenario B: You are free on Saturday but busy on Sunday. Your friend is the opposite.
  • Scenario C: You want to try a new restaurant, your friend wants to cook at home.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; practice is the best way to improve! For more interactive exercises and role-playing scenarios, explore our collection of ESL conversation topics: ESL Conversation Practice.

Useful Tips for Making Plans in English

  • Always be polite: Use phrases like “I’d love to,” “I’m afraid,” “How about…”
  • Be clear about your availability: If you’re busy, say so simply. You don’t always need a long explanation.
  • Don’t be afraid to suggest alternatives: If you can’t do one thing, suggest another time or activity.
  • Confirm the details: Before ending the conversation, repeat the time, place, and activity to make sure everyone agrees.

Conclusion

Great job today, everyone! You’ve learned many new ways to discuss, negotiate, and confirm your weekend plans in English. Remember, the best way to master these phrases is to use them! Try making plans with your classmates, friends, or even by thinking to yourself about your own upcoming weekend.

Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be a master of weekend planning!